Rabshakeh

That's a great post. Answers my question and more. Thanks so much.

Don't knock the turtle neck. That's how you know the compositions are serious. And you're right. It is Ghost Trance, not Ghost Dance. Ghost Dance is a great Prince Buster tune. Ghost Trance was a particularly turgid era of Braxton.

They've taken the obvious ones from the 70s. The catchier ones. It's not ghost dance stuff, I promise. Oh yes. I cannot wait for the return of live music. I am kicking myself for every gig I didn't attend.

I think you've hit upon the background to the query. Regardless of their faults, Baraka and Kofsky were fairly instrumental in forming the (friendly, supporters') narrative regarding the "freedom music" of the 60s "New Thing". Their views on what was and wasn't happening or important still shape how people talk about the scene even now. I think that there's a fairly well rehearsed critical viewpoint that their coverage was responsible for a certain image of free jazz which places greater emphasis on radical self expression in comparison to radical composition. There are already some threads on this forum which have covered the question of whether Baraka's and Kofsky's views had an impact on the careers of those musicians that did not conform to this narrative, such as Bill Dixon, who was definitely in the radical composition camp. I'm not 100% sure on this, given that Baraka and Kaufsky were both pretty sweet on Sun Ra who presumably falls into that camp too. But what I have never seen is how Baraka in particular responded to the rise of Anthony Braxton, Roscoe Mitchell, Leo Smith, Leroy Jenkins and the rest. Those are artists who certainly don't fit the fire music mould, and are steeped in compositional ideas and strategies. This seems strange given that both critics were presumably still at the height of their prestige at the point that the AACM artists were making a splash in the early 70s in NY.

Nice one!.

Andrew Hill’s A Beautiful Day Surely one of the best big band records of the last thirty years. Now playing: Ibsen’s Ghosts by Joe McPhee. I love his and Jen Bishop’s fat tones on this record. Much gutsier than the competition.

Those Bruised records are really something.

I’ve finally gotten round to listening to this one. I really recommend it. A very fresh take on Braxton that sounds equally influenced by Ornette Coleman’s electric funk stage.

That’s probably it. He doesn’t like Joe McPhee either, for some equally nebulous reason about his music not having “soul” or something.

No. You're right. I am not Amiri Baraka. If I was, I would probably know my views on the AACM.

What do you mean? I love those records.

Do you have a link to the interview?

I'm not sure of the source, but I recall that Baraka didn't rate Die Like A Dog at all.

Slightly random query (based on a recent conversation with a friend about Baraka on Brotzmann), but does anyone know of any views expressed regarding the AACM and other similar groups/movements in Avant Garde jazz that followed the "New Thing" by major critical proponents of the original movement like Baraka or Kofsky? If so, I'd grateful if you'd point me to them.

Oh no!

Lester Bowie's Fast Last! (Muse, 1974), prominently featuring the brilliant Mr. Hemphill on alto and some very serious John Hicks playing. I feel like Bowie's two Muse records were big news if you were around at the time but have gotten a little lost in the shuffle for those of us who weren't. Possibly it's because Bowie passed away before he could have his critical reputation restored (as with Braxton and Taylor).

Oh yeah!

A favourite from the 70s.

Not a banker but what does this mean? How to spy on employees when teams are mostly working from home?

Trio 3 with Geri Allen - At This Time (Intakt, 2009) Allen was just so good.

Okay. This is one of the best crossover records I have heard (from the jazz side). A good recommendation. Thanks.

Definitely. I always liked the covers. A unique look.

Ha! Great description.

I really enjoyed it. A little too polite at times, but I think Sanders' playing is excellent.

I was going to ask the same. Again, the internet doesn't help at all.